Government shutdown looming

It is looking more and more likely that there will be a Federal Government shutdown early next month, meaning that non-essential government employees, myself included, will be instructed to not show up at work.  The Federal Government is currently funded through a continuing resolution that expires March 4. If Congress fails to either approve the longer-term spending bill or pass another stopgap by the expiration date, most government operations will cease until more funding is approved.  In 1995, Republicans in Congress reached an impasse with President Clinton over elements of the fiscal year 1996 budget which resulted in a government shutdown in November that year.  Threatening a government shutdown is a risky game for Republicans to play.  In 1995, public opinion largely sided with Clinton.  You can be sure that Obama is well aware of that fact.

Here are a couple of articles that popped up on the shutdown: "Government Shutdown: What's at stake" by CNN; Battle over Budget Cuts Raises Specter of Federal Government Shutdown by Fox News.

Here are possible 2012 presidential candidates who favor a shutdown.  Sarah Palin: "A shutdown would force President Barack Obama to work with Republicans."    Tim Pawlenty: "In Minnesota we survived it OK. You don't want to be reckless or irresponsible about it, but there's going to have to be some lines in the sand."  Ron Paul: "I don't think it would hurt one bit."   Newt Gingrich: hearkening back to the 1995 shutdown, ""Everybody in Washington thinks that was a big mistake. They're exactly wrong."

Here are those who do not favor a shutdown.  Mike Huckabee: "I think it is not a good thing.  It means the disruption of a lot of things. It just creates a nightmare. The ideal solution is for people to act like adults...do the jobs they were sent to do."   Michelle Bachmann: among Tea Party politicians, a minority opinion, "That's not going to happen because that won't serve anyone's interest."  Haley Barbour: stated that Republicans should learn the lessons of 1995.  Mitt Romney: could not find any statement where Mitt was quoted on the subject, but assume that he would not favor a government shutdown.